Becoming Grizabella
by Superfae
Summary: Grizabella was not always the haggard cat who crashed the Jellicle Ball. Once, she was Hestia, a beautiful young queen who ruled the hearts of all in the tribe. Learn her story, and what caused her to leave and become Grizabella, the Glamour Cat.
1. Chapter 1

Demeter, along with her two brothers, were born on a surprisingly warm early-spring morning in the Jellicle junkyard. Another queen came by to visit a few hours later, her daughter trailing behind her.

"How are you feeling, Jelly?" Artemis asked.

"Relieved. I was worried that the weather would bother the kits, but they seem to be just fine." Jellylorum replied. The queens continued to converse while Artemis' young daughter looked at the kits with eyes wide and full of wonder. They were so tiny! Had she looked like that- so vulnerable and innocent- when she was born? After a while the two queens noticed the kitten's staring, and shared a small smile.

"Hestia," Jellylorum said, "Come here for a moment." Hestia approached quietly. Had she done something wrong? Was she not supposed to look at them? Hesitantly, she sat between her mother and the other queen. Artemis nuzzled her daughter lovingly.  
>"I know you've wanted a sister for a long time, and I know that we are not related by blood, but i want you to treat my new daughter as your sister. I can tell that you will watch out for her and be a good example for her to follow. Would you like that?" Jelly asked. Hestia looked up at her mother with her eyes full of excitement and happiness.<p>

"Can I mama?" She asked hopefully. Artemis nodded, her heart filled with pride. "I'll do it!" Hestia said.

"...What are you going to name her?" Hestia asked. Jellylorum thought for a while, then looked at Artemis with a question in her eyes. Artemis sat in shock for an instant, then nodded her silent permission.

"I think her name should be... Demeter." Jellylorum said at last. The queens shared one sad smile. Demeter had been the name of a good friend of theirs, and Artemis' mate Rumblepaw's sister. She had fallen ill a few years before and eventually died. They turned their attention back to the kittens. Hestia had curled up close to the newborns and gently nuzzled Demeter's small body. Artemis smiled. Hestia would indeed make a wonderful sister to the kit.

A/N: Sorry for the short chapter. Hopefully the rest will be longer, but this is my first fic in quite a while, so i make no promises about that :/  
>Hope you all enjoy this story. R&amp;R if you would please :)<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

"Hestia, it's scary up here! Can we go back down now?" Demeter asked. Hestia, who was climbing right behind her, chuckled and gently nudged the younger kitten further up the junk pile.

"Don't worry Demeter, i've been up here plenty of times. I promise you it's safe. And i'm right behind you if you slip. Trust me, you'll love it when you get to the top." She assured the kit. Demeter sighed, but kept climbing. If Hestia said it was ok, there was no reason she should be scared. But still, being so far from the ground for the first time was a frightening experience. Finally the two cats made it to the very top of the pile.

"What so special about the top of this junk pile, Hestia?" Demeter asked the older kit. Hestia turned around to look over the clearing. Demeter turned around as Hestia had done and gasped.  
>"Wow! You can see the whole junkyard from here!" she squealed. She could see her mother and Jennyanydots chatting at the edge of the clearing, Skimbleshanks napping in the sun, and Tugger sneaking up on Bombalurina, who was about to pounce on an unsuspecting Munkustrap. Hestia chuckled and leaned down to whisper in Demeter's ear.<p>

"Watch this," she said with a chuckle. "Bombi! DUCK!" Hestia yelled. Bombalurina flattened herself to the ground just as Tugger launched himself at her, but instead of catching his original target he landed on his surprised brother. The queen-kits all collapsed into laughter as the brothers untangled themselves.

"See, it's not so bad up here is it Demeter?" Hestia asked with a warm smile. Demeter thought for a moment.

"Yeah, I guess it's alright." She said, snuggling up to her "sister"

A/N: so, another short chapter. i promise i'm trying to make them longer!


	3. Chapter 3

"Hestia, what's cooties?" Demeter asked.

"Hmm? Why do you want to know that?" the elder asked.

"Bombi said Munk'strap has cooties, and that I can't be freinds with him no more." Demeter said sadly. Hestia shook her head with a small smile.

"I don't think you need to stop playing with Munkustrap, and I think he'd be very sad if you did." She told the kit. "And," she whispered conspiratorily, "If Munk _does_ have cooties, I promise I won't tell _anybody._"

"But Hestia, what _are_ cooties?" Demeter asked again.

"Well, when you catch cooties from someone, you get a funny feeling, like there are buttlerflies flying in your tummy." Hestia tried to explain.

"So it's a tummy bug?" Demeter gasped, eyes wide. It was no secret in the tribe that Demeter hated being sick.

"No no! It's a good feeling!" Hestia quickly reassured the young kit. "It feels like sitting in a warm sunbeam, but the sunshine is coming from the inside."

"Oh." Said Demeter, understanding better thanks to her beloved 'sister'. "So Munkustrap makes people's tummies feel funny?"

"He might. He's a sweet kit, and I think he'll be a handsome tom when he grows up. The queens catch cooties from handsome toms all the time."

"Have you ever got cooties from somebody, Hestia?" the younger queen inquired. Hestia smiled shyly, a blush heating up under her fur.

"Yes, but just once." She answered. "And I'm not going to tell you who. It's a secret." she added. Demeter closed her mouth with a cute little put, but didn't press the matter.

"...Hey, I bet Tugger has LOTS of cooties from Bombi!" Demeter squealed with laughter, making Hestia giggle as well.

"I bet you're right"


End file.
